Part -time Teacher of Maths
Information for Applicants
St Faith’s seeks to be a happy, inclusive and supportive community which welcomes families from all religious and cultural backgrounds. Underpinned by Christian values, we nurture every child as an infinitely valuable and uniquely gifted member of the St Faith’s family. We aim to cultivate strength of character, distinguished inter-personal qualities, distinctive leadership ability and a keen sense of social responsibility. Our innovative and future-focused education builds on a strong academic heritage and promotes excellence in all areas.
Introduction St Faith’s, UK Prep School of the Year 2019, educates over 550 boys and girls, aged 4 to 13, and employs over 150 staff. Situated in the heart of Cambridge, on a spacious green site with outstanding facilities and easy access to the M11, St Faith’s benefits from an enviable location and has the feel of a ‘country’ prep school with all the advantages of Cambridge on its doorstep. There is a tangible buzz of positivity in the School and new staff are often struck by the happy, productive and supportive atmosphere.
The School is renowned for its first-class all-round education with a strong academic core and excellent pastoral care. Results in senior school entrance examinations are outstanding (over 90% gain places at their first choice senior school) with leavers achieving an average of 30 scholarships each year.
The School’s commitment to academic excellence is matched by the value it places on the broader curriculum. St Faith’s provides a truly holistic education in which everyone is encouraged to discover their talents and then make the most of them. Pupils achieve a staggering array of success across the curriculum. In recent years, pupils have won national creative writing competitions, reached the final of National Schools’ Maths Challenge, performed in regional and national music and theatre groups and been winners of various sports at national level. St Faith’s pupils are renowned for being great ‘all-rounders’ with strong inter-personal and leadership skills. As the Good Schools’ Guide states, St Faith’s ‘turns out sparky children with high all-round expectations and the skills to meet them’.
Reputation In recent times, the School has received national and international recognition for its curriculum innovation. In 2019 St Faith's was awarded Pre Prep/Prep School of the Year 2019 by TES, having been shortlisted for the same category in 2018. TES also awarded St Faith’s ‘Strategic Initiative of the Year’ award (for the introduction of Engineering) in 2018 following its introduction to the curriculum for all pupils from Year 3 in 2015. This initiative also received significant local and national support from the University of Cambridge, leading Engineering companies and the James Dyson Foundation.
In 2013 The Royal Society awarded St Faith’s Associate Status for its excellence in the teaching of Science and Maths. Also in 2013, the government designated St Faith’s a Lead School for the teaching of Computing and for the past three years, our Head of Computing has provided support to over 25 schools in their quest to introduce the Computing curriculum.
In 2014, St Faith’s won the school’s category of the Ashden Awards, an international competition which recognises beacons of excellence in sustainability; in this respect the School is seen as a world leader and is currently supporting many schools in the UK to roll out sustainability education programmes.
We have also been recognised for Healthy Eating by Independent School Parent magazine, and in 2019 our catering team were awarded Independent School Caterer of the Year.
Working at St Faith’s St Faith’s is a busy and an active school. Staff here are encouraged and expected to work to the highest professional standards, contributing to the very high regard in which the school and its staff are held by current and former pupils and their parents and ensuring that the children are given all the opportunities that should be available to them at a first-class independent school.
St Faith’s is in many ways a reflection of Cambridge. It has a long and distinguished history but has never stood still. The blend of traditional values and continuous desire to improve has enabled the School, like its neighboring City, to develop successfully and earn its reputation for exceptional standards. When recruiting staff, we look for outstanding individuals who can help us to preserve our traditional values and at the same time, be open- minded, innovative and dynamic, so that the School can continue to develop and lead the way in prep school education.
Benefits The School offers a generous remuneration package. • Teaching staff receive a significant reduction in fees for their children who are educated at the School. • Staff receive free late stay charging and St Faith’s holiday clubs for their children who attend the School. • The School encourages teachers to take part in the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme and support staff to take part in the Company Pension Scheme. • St Faith’s owns properties which are made available for staff accommodation. The School can also provide support with rental costs in the first two years of appointment. • Free membership of a private health scheme is offered to all teaching staff (pro-rata for part time staff). • Free membership of Medicash (health care plan) (pro-rata for part time staff). • Access to an Employee Assistance Programme. • Free membership of Cambridge University Botanic Gardens. • All staff benefit from free membership of The Leys sports facilities, including a gym, sports hall and swimming pool. • All staff are provided with free lunches in term time. Breakfast is also available at a subsidised cost to staff, parents and children each morning. • A parking space is available on site on four days per week. On the fifth day, staff are expected to park off site. • The School provides financial support for the purchase of a bicycle through the Cycle to Work scheme. On a termly basis staff can have their bike serviced at school free of charge. • All new members of staff receive a detailed programme of Induction and mentoring throughout their first year. The School places high importance on professional development and all staff are expected to be proactive in furthering their skills and knowledge. Regular in-house training is provided and there is a substantial budget for staff to attend external courses. • Class sizes are small, behaviour of pupils is very good and the School prides itself on having a happy, supportive and dynamic staff team. Teachers are allocated a very good proportion of non-contact time to prepare lessons and mark pupils’ work. • New members of staff are made very welcome and great care and support is given to help them settle in and enjoy working as part of the community.
School Structure and Curriculum Essentially school is divided into 3 sections:
The Pre Prep comprising three year groups – Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 – with three classes in each. The Pre Prep is located at the southern-most part of the site with its own classrooms, playgrounds and staff. The children are taught by their Class Tutor with the exception of Spanish, Music and Sport which are taught by specialists – the latter three of these subjects are taught in whole-school specialist facilities.
Prep Years 3 and 4 which comprises four classes in each year. The Class Tutor teaches the children for approximately three quarters of their timetable, with the remainder being taught by specialists in specialist facilities.
Years 5 to 8 which comprises four classes in each year. Each class has a Tutor for pastoral purposes and all subjects are taught by specialists using departmental facilities.
Class size for all year groups is between 14 and 20 pupils. Teaching Assistants are employed for all classes up to Year 5 and for most practical subjects thereafter.
The School curriculum far exceeds national requirements, covering all the National Curriculum subjects as well as Engineering (from age 7), Spanish (from age 4), Classics (from age 9), French (from age 10) and short, intensive courses in Arabic, German and Mandarin in the pupils’ final year. An emphasis is placed on excellence and innovation and in recent times the School has received national and international recognition for its curriculum development.
In 2020 St Faith’s published the first ever schemes of work for Engineering for pupils aged 7- 13. These schemes have been built on our experience of teaching the subject over the past five years with much insight from professional engineers including Cambridge University and the Institute of Engineering. Schools around the country are now using these schemes, together with the knowledge gained from the St Faith’s Engineering Teacher Training Courses, to introduce and develop this new subject.
Mathematics Department The Mathematics Department is a vibrant and innovative branch of the school that aims to help each pupil fulfil their potential by providing a solid foundation in the basics of the subject whilst also challenging and enriching them. We encourage mathematical curiosity and guide pupils to be confident, reflective and independent learners.
Pupils are taught Mathematics in their form classes in Years 3 and 4, with small groups withdrawn to work on extension, deepening or support work. Some pupils also receive specialist help in the Learning Support Department as needed. In Years 5 to 8 pupils are placed into one of four ability sets in each Year and taught by a specialist teacher.
The team is very experienced at delivering a curriculum that is both inclusive and challenging, fostering confidence in the pupils. The content is delivered using a variety of approaches, incorporating interactive whiteboards and other IT resources. Mental arithmetic is regularly practised and there is an emphasis on problem solving and investigations to encourage the application of mathematical skills and the development of independent thinking skills.
Pupils go on to achieve highly in the subject with around one hundred taking part in the national annual Junior Mathematics Challenge, as well as Year 6 pupils competing in the Primary Challenge and a Year 8 team in the UK Team Challenge. We also host a Year 6 Challenge for around 30 of the local schools once a year. As part of our curriculum, our Year 8 pupils enjoy an annual STEM project, and during our Enrichment days, we run a Year 7 Maths Challenge, Year 5 Maths NRICH Roadshow and a Year 3 STEM Day.
On leaving us many of our pupils achieve well above the expected level nationally for their age with over 70% attaining either level 6 or 7 in National Curriculum style assessments. We enjoy seeing our pupils go on to achieve highly in Mathematics in their future schools and are always pleased at the number who go on to study Mathematics at top universities.
Facilities St Faith’s boasts exceptional facilities, on a spacious green site just 20 minutes’ walk from the city centre. Essentially the nine-acre site comprises four Georgian buildings complemented by spacious, purpose-built facilities. Modern accommodations includes a large Sports Hall (opened in 2011), Ashburton (Art, Drama, Maths, Library and Assembly hall) opened in 1998 and Year 1 classrooms built to passivhaus standards, which opened in 2012. In 2018 we opened our newest and most innovative building, The Hub, which provides a large multi-functional facility linking all STEM facilities including computing, engineering, science and maths. The Leys and St Faith’s Foundation also owns and uses twenty acres of sports fields, including two astroturf pitches, just two minutes’ walk from the main St Faith’s site.
Extra Curricular Activities and Trips Extra curricular activities are extremely important at St Faith’s as they broaden the minds of our pupils, allowing many to find talents and passions they never knew they had. They range from Music and Drama rehearsals, chess, reading, Art and model making to team sports, golf, gymnastics and dance. All full-time teachers are expected to run at least one after- school activity each week; many run more than this. Currently over 80 activities are on offer to the children each week.
Many visits to places of local interest are planned to extend and enrich the curriculum, taking advantage of the fascinating possibilities of Cambridge and its environs. The School also runs a planned programme of residential trips, including an annual ski holiday, an outdoor adventure holiday to the Ardèche gorge, a language learning course in Spain, a Music tour to Liverpool, a Classics trip to Rome and Pompeii and a Music and Sports tour to South Africa. These trips are popular, and staffing is carefully planned to allow as many teachers and support staff as possible to take part. Entrants and Exits Demand for places is high and the School is heavily oversubscribed. Most children enter the School at age 4; there is no formal assessment at this stage other than a visit by the Head of Pre Prep to the child’s nursery to ensure that he/she is ready for our school environment. An additional class is recruited at age 7 (Year 3) and occasional places become available in other year groups when current parents relocate. From Year 2 entry onwards our intake is academically selective, in so far as we seek to ensure that a child will cope with the demands of our strong academic curriculum. The overall academic ability of each year is well above the national average.
Approximately half of our leavers move to The Leys and the remainder transfer to a wide variety of independent and maintained schools in Cambridge and further afield; in recent years the most common destinations have been Uppingham, The Perse, King’s Ely and St Mary’s. Over the past nine years our leavers have moved on to their senior schools with an average of 28 scholarships per year in areas including academic, sport, music, drama, art and all-round. Over 90% of leavers move to their first choice senior school each year.
History St Faith’s was founded in 1884 to meet the needs of the children of the Fellows of Cambridge University. R. S. Goodchild, the founder, reputedly named the School after his daughter Faith. In 1938 St Faith’s became part of the same foundation as The Leys School, a prestigious senior independent school in Cambridge. Each school operates autonomously each with own staff, Head, budget and individual identity, yet benefits from a close relationship.
In the 1990s, the School moved from being a six-day a week boys’ day and boarding school to a coeducational five-day a week day school.
Over time, St Faith’s has thrived and grown in to the one of the largest prep schools in the country, with outstanding facilities and a healthy financial position. Well known alumni include John Maynard Keynes (economist), Christopher Cockerell (inventor of the hovercraft) and Alex Goode (England rugby player).
Cambridge Cambridge is a wonderful place to live and work. The wide open green meadows in the city centre together with the beautiful architecture of the colleges make the city a very pleasant place. Cambridge is one of the fastest growing cities and exciting technology clusters in the world, with companies such as Microsoft, Apple and AstraZeneca, sitting alongside the many start-up technology companies. Cambridge is world-renowned as a seat of learning and boasts the highest concentration of Nobel laureates in the world. Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth hospitals sit at the center of the growing Biomedical Campus, located just a few minutes away from St Faith’s. The expansion of Cambridge, the science parks and the Biomedical Campus in particular, has led to major housing developments in the area as Cambridge becomes an increasingly dynamic and cosmopolitan city.
Quality of life is high, and despite its recent growth the city still has a small-town feel. From a number of theatres and museums to cinemas, concert halls, Michelin-starred restaurants and pop-up eateries, Cambridge has something for everyone. Green spaces include a number of parks and common lands upon which cows graze, the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens, the river with all its amenities and Granchester meadows.
Cambridge benefits from good transport links with around five trains per hour to London King’s Cross and Liverpool Street. Stansted Airport is less than a 30min drive or 20 min train journey from the centre of town and transport links within and across the city evolving constantly and now included guided busways and a myriad of cycle paths.
Safeguarding St Faith’s is committed to recruitment procedures which carefully assess the suitability of all those it employs to work with children. All its employees are subject to an enhanced DBS check and references will be required.
Staff Benefits The School offers a generous remuneration package. • Teaching staff receive a significant reduction in fees for their children who are educated at the School. • The School encourages teachers to take part in the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme. • St Faith’s owns properties which are made available for staff accommodation. The School can also provide support with rental costs in the first two years of appointment. • Free membership of a private health scheme is offered to all teaching staff. • Free membership of Cambridge University Botanic Gardens. • All staff benefit from free membership of The Leys sports facilities, including a gym, sports hall and swimming pool. • All staff are provided with free lunches in term time in our award-winning dining room. Breakfast is also available at a subsidised cost to staff, parents and children each morning. • A parking space is available on site on four days per week. On the fifth day, staff are expected to park off site. The School provides financial support for the purchase of a bicycle through the Cycle to Work scheme. Staff may have their bikes serviced regularly with the Dr. Bike Workshops which visit school each term. • All new members of staff receive a detailed programme of induction and mentoring throughout their first year. The School places high importance on professional development and all staff are expected to be proactive in furthering their skills and knowledge. Regular in-house training is provided and there is a substantial budget for staff to attend external courses. • Class sizes are small, behaviour of pupils is very good and the School prides itself on having a happy, supportive and dynamic staff team. Teachers are allocated a very good proportion of non-contact time to prepare lessons and mark pupils’ work. New members of staff are made very welcome and great care and support is given to help them settle in and enjoy working as part of the community.
The Application Process Applications, in the form of an application form with a covering letter, should be sent via TES, or to HR Adviser, Janet Mills ([email protected]) by 9am on Monday 5th October. Interviews will be held shortly thereafter.
The post entails 12 hours of teaching per week, which will be spread over five days (three half days and two full days) The teaching will be to KS2 (Year 5) and KS3 groups (Year 7 &8). This post is from January 2021.
Job Description Role Title: Maths Teacher Responsible to: Head of Department of Mathematics Responsible for: Teaching Maths Hours: Part time
All members of teaching staff are responsible to work as directed by the Headmaster through the Deputy Head (Academic) and Heads of Department. All staff are expected to help pupils to meet high standards of behaviour, appearance and punctuality, and have a purposeful attitude to their work. At all times, they are expected to uphold the good name of St Faith’s and maintain confidentiality.
Teaching Teachers are expected to teach lessons which: • Promote excellence in all respects • Follow the subject scheme of work and are academically rigorous and appropriately challenging • Use a variety of approaches at a pace that engages pupils and maintains their interest • Provide feedback to both teacher and pupils on understanding and progress in the lesson • Encourage and support the development of an individual’s thought processes
Teachers are also expected to: • Use reward and sanction procedures to ensure good discipline • Ensure punctuality at lessons • Assess, record and report on the development, progress and attainment of pupils • Co-operate in the production of resources for teaching and share in developing methods of teaching • Support pupils’ individual needs, including implementing the recommendations of the Learning Support department • Support the pastoral well-being of the pupils, maintaining confidentiality at all times • Safeguard the general health and safety of pupils • Communicate and consult with parents and relevant outside agencies • Participate in all relevant meetings; whole School, departmental or other • Undertake to carry out supervision, cover for absent staff and duties as required • Create and effectively display pupils’ work conducive to a positive learning environment
Appraisal and development • Participate in appraisal arrangements • Review individual teaching methods and progress from time to time. • Participate in arrangements for further training and professional development
Person Specification Qualifications and Experience Desirable Essential A good Honours Degree, or equivalent, in a relevant subject ✓ Sound knowledge of Maths ✓ Experience of teaching Maths ✓ Teaching qualification ✓ Experience of teaching in a junior or prep school ✓ Knowledge of current approaches to teaching mathematics ✓
Learning and Teaching Sound understanding of how children learn effectively ✓ Ability to inspire pupils ✓ Ability to teach rigorously and engagingly ✓ Care and concern for children’s well-being ✓
Personal Attributes Supportive of the School’s ethos and values ✓ Willingness to learn and develop professionally ✓ Flexibility and willingness to adapt to the needs of the School ✓ Demonstrates commitment, reliability and integrity ✓ Demonstrates good judgement ✓ Ability to remain calm, resilient and reflective under pressure ✓ Demonstrates personal impact and presence ✓ Demonstrates creativity and imagination in teaching and to ✓ anticipate and solve problems
Other Skills Good IT skills for communication and information purposes ✓ An appreciation and understanding of the use and value of Digital ✓ Technology for teaching and learning
If you have queries please email the Human Resources Adviser, Janet Mills, on [email protected] or telephone (01223 229417).